Data carrier and method for producing same

ABSTRACT

The data carrier is preferably an identity card or payment card and is provided with at least one layer forming a card body, a transparent outer layer laminated thereon and a planar security element that is arranged between two laminated layers and that is covered by a protective layer. At least one of the laminated layers is transparent. The security element laminated therein is provided with especially holographic or kinegraphic information and is particularly protected against damage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a data carrier and a method for producingsame. The data carrier is in particular an identification card orpayment card with at least one layer that forms a card body and atransparent outer layer laminated thereon, as well as at least oneplanar security element that is provided with security information, inparticular holographic or kinegraphic information.

2. Description of the Related Art

Data carriers of the type described above are used as, among otherthings, identification cards or payment cards or as “data pages” inpassports. Reference is made to the prior art as described in DE 3048733C, DE 3151407 C, DE 4134539 A, DE 3840729 C and EP 0,230,497 A. U.S.Pat. No. 5,658,411 discloses a method for the manufacture of a laminatethat can be an identification card. In that case, a protective layer islaminated onto a security element. The security element can containholographic information and is on the uppermost layer of a card body. Atechnician skilled in the art will also be aware that the protection ofsuch data carriers against counterfeiting can be significantly increasedby a kinegraphic or holographic security element. Such security elementsare applied to the data carrier by means of a hot press stampingprocess, for example. In that case, the security elements arevapor-deposited on the underside of a strip-format carrier film. Thesesecurity elements are transferred by means of a heated stamp in the hotstamping process. After the hot stamping, the strip-format carrier filmis pulled off. The vapor-deposited layer is an extraordinarily thinlayer of metal, e.g. aluminum. It has now been shown that such securityelements can be damaged as a result of wear or other stresses and canthereby completely lose their security function. To prevent this loss ofthe security function, the prior art discloses that the security elementcan be coated with a lacquer after the stamping. However, such aprotective lacquer cannot be used on all data carriers, and also wearsoff after years of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to create a data carrier of the typedescribed above in which the security function of the security elementis retained longer, and which can nevertheless be manufacturedeconomically.

The invention teaches a data card of the type described above in whichthe security element is located between two layers that are laminated toeach other and is provided with a protective layer, whereby at least oneof the laminated layers is a transparent outer layer. On the datacarrier claimed by the invention, the security element is laminatedbetween two layers and thus has extraordinary protection against damage.The protective layer on the security element makes it possible tolaminate the security element without damaging it. The security elementis subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during the laminationprocess. It has now been determined that when there is a protectivelayer, the lamination can be performed without the formation of cracksand especially microcracks in the extraordinarily thin security element.The security element remains clear and unclouded on account of thepresence of the protective layer and is easy visible through thetransparent cover layer.

In one development of the invention, the protective layer is a plasticfilm and in particular a carrier film on which the security element hasbeen vapor deposited. Carrier films of this type of this type arethemselves part of the prior art and can be made of polyester, forexample. A sealing layer is applied on the underside of the vapordeposited security elements. By means of a hot sealing stamp which isprovided with an additional punch contour, the security element ispunched out of the carrier film and attached to a layer under the actionof heat. In contrast to the methods of the prior art, the punchedcarrier film remains on the security element and is laminated betweentwo layers on the data carrier claimed by the invention. The carrierfilm punched out with the security element protects the security elementagainst damage during the lamination process.

In an additional development of the invention, the protective layer ismade of a plastic that is essentially not connected with the layer to belaminated thereon. The invention teaches that a loose connection of thistype does not adversely affect the stability and adherence of the datacarrier in any way.

The data carrier claimed by the invention has in particular layers madeof polycarbonate. The problem of damage to the security element isparticularly great on polycarbonate data carriers because, in contrastto a card made of PVC, the security element cannot be recessed and istherefore particularly exposed to abrasion. Polycarbonate is suitablefor use in the manufacture of, among other things, governmentidentification cards that can remain valid and in use for many years,and for which such security elements are particularly important. On thedata carrier claimed by the invention, however, the security element isfully protected against damage and against tampering.

In the method taught by the invention, at least one transparent layer islaminated onto another layer, and a planar security element that bearssecurity information is applied. The invention teaches that the securityelement is laminated between two layers and is provided with aprotective layer that is also laminated between the two layers. In thiscase, the security element is preferably protected by a protective layerapplied to it. Prior to the lamination, the security element ispreferably vapor deposited onto a carrier film. This carrier filmremains on the security element and during the lamination process formsthe above mentioned protective layer.

A particularly effective security against counterfeiting is achieved if,as taught by an additional development of the invention, the securityelement is a holographic or kinegraphic element. One essential advantageof the invention is that the manufacturing process is no more expensivethan the methods of the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detailbelow and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: is a section through a data carrier as claimed by the invention,

FIG. 2: is an enlarged detail of a data carrier as claimed by theinvention,

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the application of a securityelement by means of hot stamping,

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of FIG. 3 in the direction of Arrow IV,

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the individual layers of a datacarrier as claimed by the invention, and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of FIG. 5 for a variant of a data carrier asclaimed by the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The data carrier 1 illustrated in cross section in FIG. 1 is, forexample, a government identification card of a credit card. A card bodyC is formed by three layers 3, 4 and 5. These layers are preferablyconnected to one another, for example, by a lamination process. Theselayers 3, 4 and 5 form the core films and are made of PVC orpolycarbonate, for example. The card body C can also consist of more orfewer layers. A top cover layer 2 is transparent and is laminated ontothe layer 3. A security element 8 is laminated in between the layers 2and 3, and as illustrated in FIG. 2 is located between a hot sealedlayer 3 and a protective layer 7.

The security element 8 is preferably a kinegraphic or holographicelement and is formed, for example, by a metal layer that has been vapordeposited onto the layer 7. The manufacture of such security element 8is itself described in the prior art. The metal layer can be an aluminumlayer, for example, although other metals can also be used.

The security element 8, with the hot sealed layer 6, is connected firmlyand in a flat connection with the layer 3 underneath it. Between thecover layer 2 and the protective layer 7 however, there is noessentially permanent connection. The contact surface 14 illustrated inFIG. 2 thus forms a loose connection between the protection layer 7 andthe cover layer 2. The protective layer 7, like the cover layer 2, istransparent. The security element 8 is therefore clearly visible on theupper side 16 of the data carrier 1. The information 12 applied to thesecurity element 8 is thus also visible (FIG. 4), i.e. holographic andkinegraphic elements, in particular characters and graphic elements.Instead of a single cover layer 2, there can also be a plurality ofcover layers, although they must all be transparent.

FIG. 5 shows the data carrier illustrated in FIG. 1, whereby theindividual layers are pulled apart. In the exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIG. 6, there are two cover layers 2 and 13, and thesecurity element 8 is laminated between these two layers.

The method claimed by the invention is explained below with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4.

The security elements 8 to be laminated are vapor deposited on aprotective layer 7, preferably a strip-format carrier film 7. Theprotective layer 7, with the vapor-deposited security elements 8, formsa strip 9 that preferably forms a roll. To laminate the securityelements 8, the strip 9 is pulled by means of a sheet 15. By means of astamp 10, the security elements 8 are punched out of the strip 9 and areapplied to the sheet 15 under the action of heat. The sealing layer 6applied to the underside of the security element 8 is thereby heated inthe manner of the prior art and connects the security element 8 with thesheet 15. On the underside of the stamp 10 there is a cutting edge 10′,by means of which the security element 8 and the corresponding area ofthe protective layer 7 are punched. After the punching, there is a hole11 in the strip 9, as illustrated on the far right in FIG. 3. It is thenessential that after the hot sealing, the punched area 7′ of the carrierfilm remains on the punched out security element 8′, as also illustratedon the far right in FIG. 3. The sheet 15 is large enough that aplurality of such security elements 8′ can be applied at some distanceone after the other, and a plurality of data carriers 1 can be punchedout of the sheet 15. If the sheet 15 is provided with all its securityelements 8′, the additional sheets provided are laminated on top of andunderneath this sheet. Finally, the data carrier 1 is punched out of thesheets, which are connected with one another. The sheet 15 thereby formsthe layers 3 of the punched out data carrier 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. An identification card or payment card,comprising: at least one layer that forms a card body; a transparentcover layer laminated on the at least one layer that forms the cardbody; and at least one planar security element that is provided withsecurity information, wherein the security element is located betweentwo laminated layers and is provided with a protective layer that is acarrier film, and at least one of the laminated layers is transparent.2. The identification card or payment card as claimed in claim 1,wherein the security element is located between the transparent coverlayer and a second transparent cover layer.
 3. The identification cardor payment card as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of thelayers that forms the card body is manufactured from polycarbonate. 4.The identification card or payment card as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe security element is firmly connected on its underside to the atleast one layer that forms the card body by hot sealing.
 5. Theidentification card or payment card as claimed in claim 1, wherein theprotective layer is in essentially loose contact on its upperside withthe transparent cover layer.
 6. The identification card or payment cardas claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective layer is a transparentplastic film.
 7. The identification card or payment card as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the protective layer is made of polyester.
 8. Theidentification card or payment card as claimed in claim 7, wherein thesecurity element is vapor deposited onto the protective layer.
 9. Theidentification card or payment card as claimed in claim 6, wherein thesecurity element is vapor deposited onto the protective layer.
 10. Theidentification card or payment card as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesecurity element is stamped onto the at least one layer that forms thecard body.
 11. The identification card or payment card as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the security element has a thickness that is less thanapproximately 5μ.
 12. The identification card or payment card as claimedin claim 1, wherein the security information is one of holographic andkinegraphic information.
 13. A method for manufacturing anidentification card or payment card, comprising the steps of: applying aplanar security element that carries security information between atleast one transparent layer and an additional layer, wherein the planarsecurity element is provided with a protective layer that is a carrierfilm; and laminating the at least one transparent layer onto theadditional layer.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein thesecurity element is vapor deposited onto the carrier film.
 15. Themethod as claimed in claim 14, wherein the security element is made of avapor-deposited metal.
 16. The method as claimed in claim 13, whereinthe security element is a holographic or kinegraphic element.
 17. Themethod as claimed in claim 13, wherein the security element is appliedto the additional layer by a stamping process.
 18. The method as claimedin claim 13, wherein the security element is provided with a sealinglayer on an underside of the security element.
 19. The method as claimedin claim 17, wherein the stamping process is a hot stamping or a hotpress stamping process.